docs: def getGroupIDs(self, groupNames,communityInfo=None):
          """
             This function retrieves the group IDs
  
             Inputs:
                group_names - tuple of group names
  
             Output:
                dict - list of group IDs
          """
          group_ids=[]
          if communityInfo is None:
              communityInfo = self.communitySelf
  
          if isinstance(groupNames,list):
              groupNames = map(str.upper, groupNames)
          else:
              groupNames = groupNames.upper()
          if 'groups' in communityInfo:
              for gp in communityInfo['groups']:
  
                  if str(gp['title']).upper() in groupNames:
                      group_ids.append(gp['id'])
          del communityInfo
          return group_ids